Diana Monkey

April 29, 2017

A baby Diana monkey was born April 29 at Regenstein African Journey. Shown here with its mother, 20-year-old Cece, the infant’s sex is not yet known. The family includes father Hops, 22, and another offspring, female Bailey, 2.

Native to western Africa, Diana monkeys are named for their browband, said to resemble the upturned crescent on the brow of Roman goddess Diana. Besides their distinctive coloration, this guenon species is remarkable for its array of facial expressions and vocalizations used to communicate within groups. In the wild, male Diana monkeys sound long-distance, anti-predator alarm calls that distinguish between predators such as leopards and eagles. Other prey species depend on these “police of the forest” for protection.

Look for the family and its new arrival in their leafy habitat near the building’s southeast entrance.